Search Results for: blog alcohol related neurodevelopmental disorder

October: Adoption Blog Month in Review

In the adoption blogs for October you’ll find several series: one series on research on “how adopted children turn out” and the genes-vs.-environment question, one on giving back and how adoption makes the world seem a bit smaller, and one on single parent adoption. Media reviews included a workbook helping parents imagine what an inter-country move might be like for their child and think through related decisions. I also reviewed a wonderful resource for parents who think their child may have been exposed to alcohol prenatally. Another review was of an incredible story of an Ethiopian woman who runs two … Continue reading →

Help for Kids with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Jodee Kulp, adoptive parent of a teen-ager with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)and foster mother of others, is the author of Our FAScinating Journey, subtitled The Best We Can Be: Keys to Brain Potential Along the Path of Prenatal Brain Injury. This 300-page guide is both a memoir of the Kulp family’s experiences and efforts to help their daughter and an incredibly varied compilation of information and resources. The book begins with an introduction to the Kulp family, how they adopted Liz, a failure-to-thrive infant, and fostered Dave, diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Reactive Attachment Disorder, in his infancy … Continue reading →

Glossary of Special Needs Adoption-Related Terms “A”

Special Needs and Adoption-Related Terms: Adoption terms and special needs words may vary from agency to agency. The terms used in this Special Needs Adoption-Related Glossary may be slightly different from one State to another. A | B | C | D | E-F | G-H-I | J-K-L | M | N-O | P | Q-R | S | T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z Abuse: Harm inflicted on a person through physical, verbal, emotional, or sexual means; may cause victim to develop emotional or behavioral problems, some of which may not appear until later in life. Help from an experienced counselor or therapists may … Continue reading →

Behavior Characteristics: For People Affected By Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

One of the most important things parents are advised is to be firm and consistent with our children, especially when it comes to behaviors. Natural consequences, time out, and other types of discipline are all common ways parents attempt to teach children behavior boundaries. I have 4 children, and with 3 of them standard, ordinary, logical parenting approaches have been very effective. However, I also have one child who was exposed to alcohol before her birth and suffers from Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders (ARND) A physical disability of the brain. For this child parenting is a completely different story and … Continue reading →

Links Between Brain Differences and Behaviors in Prenatal Alcohol Affected People.

Modern medical science has made it possible to understand the structure and function of the brain. In the past, the role of brain differences in relationship to behavior was not well researched. Early articles about minimal brain disorders were met with scorn by people who believed the research was a way to excuse negative behaviors. Today, brain research is allowing us to understand that many behavioral symptoms are actually symptoms of a brain dysfunction. The new research and advanced medical tools we have today, allow us to approach our feelings about behavior very differently. Linking the role of the brain … Continue reading →

Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder.

Medical research consistently finds the development of the brain is most sensitive to the effects of prenatal alcohol and drug exposure. An unborn baby’s brain is growing and developing the whole time his or her mother is pregnant. Alcohol exposure effects an unborn baby differently at different times depending on the timing of the exposure and the alcohol levels. No two people with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) or Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND) are the same. Two different mothers drinking similar amounts of alcohol may have children with completely different effects. Not all alcoholic mothers have baby’s with FAS or ARND, … Continue reading →

What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?

Regardless of what method of adoption a family chooses newborn, international or children from the foster care system no one can be sure, other then the birthmother, that a baby or child was not exposed prenatally to alcohol. Prenatal alcohol exposure is perhaps one of the most frightening issues adoptive parents must consider. In many cases, the effects of alcohol on the development of the brain are more damaging to an unborn baby than any other drug exposure might be. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a medical diagnosis for a set of physical and cognitive symptoms of prenatal exposure to … Continue reading →

Glossary of Special Needs Adoption-Related Terms “E-F”

Special Needs and Adoption-Related Terms: Adoption terms and special needs words may vary from agency to agency.The terms used in this Special Needs Adoption-Related Glossary may be slightly different from one State to another. A | B | C | D | E-F | G-H-I | J-K-L | M | N-O | P | Q-R | S | T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z E Emotional disturbance: Severe, pervasive or chronic emotional and or affective condition preventing a child from performing ordinary daily tasks. Emotional disturbances are sometimes displayed by children with an inability to build or maintain relationships, inappropriate behaviors or feelings, unhappiness or … Continue reading →

A Pearl of Great Price

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During the period when we tried to assess Regina’s potential disabilities and decide if we could parent her, we wondered what effect raising a special needs child would have on our family life. Would we have to totally change our lifestyle to accommodate a rigid schedule of appointments and daily care? The image I persistently recall from this time in my life is the biblical parable of the Pearl of Great Price, the pearl of such surpassing value that the merchant was willing to sell all that he had to obtain this pearl. Could I give up my image of … Continue reading →

Two Months of Hell

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Obviously my stress levels were through the roof at this point. We waited and waited for new photographs of our daughter’s biological sister, hoping they would shed light on the prognosis of damage from prenatal alcohol exposure. My reading about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder stressed that children with this disorder needed highly structured lives and predictable routines. I had to admit that we are just not that kind of family. We do a lot of really interesting things together, but organization and routine are not our strong points, to put it mildly. Still, I had been … Continue reading →